AirAsia, Southeast Asia’s largest low-cost carrier, will resume its services between Hong Kong and the Malaysian foodie hub Penang.
Flights will relaunch commencing August 10, initially operating three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
From Penang they depart at 0630 for a 1030 arrival into Hong Kong. On the way back, the flights leave Hong Kong at 1110 and get back into Penang at 1455.
AirAsia competes against Cathay Pacific on Hong Kong-Penang.
Oneworld member Cathay will fly the route four times a week this August, on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Penang is AirAsia’s third largest hub.
AirAsia airlines will operate 217 weekly flights on 10 routes to Penang this summer, including to Kuala Lumpur (67x weekly), Johor Bahru (28x weekly), Langkawi (21x weekly), as well as Singapore (35x weekly), Ho Chi Minh City (7x weekly), Jakarta (11x weekly), Bangkok (14x weekly), Medan (28x weekly), Surabaya (3x weekly), and Hong Kong (3x weekly).
“We are confident that the addition of three weekly flights from Hong Kong will not only reinforce Penang’s status as a top tourist hotspot in Malaysia but will also contribute significantly to the island’s overall appeal,” said YB Yeoh Soon Hin, Penang EXCO for Tourism and Creative Economy.
Riad Asmat, AirAsia Malaysia CEO said: “We are excited to reconnect Penang to Hong Kong after launching it for the first time in 2009 where we established Penang as a hub at the same time.
We are also thrilled to be the only low-cost carrier connecting both islands directly, providing more value and greater accessibility to our guests. This is an exciting historical route for AirAsia and we anticipate a remarkable response from both leisure and business travellers alike.”
AirAsia airlines hold a 40 per cent international market share at Penang airport.
There are currently no long-haul flights from the airport.
Qatar Airways previously linked the island with its Doha hub with 787 Dreamliner aircraft but that service did not return following the pandemic.
